


This Lovely Scent

by ginatoldmeso



Series: Steve Grant Rogers / Chris Evans ONE-SHOTS [2]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Allergies, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Fluff, Florists, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Language of Flowers, Modern Royalty, Romantic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, pollen allergy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 10:29:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16852345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ginatoldmeso/pseuds/ginatoldmeso
Summary: Steve is forced to hide in the reader’s flower shop and it’s love at first sight. The only problem is, he’s deadly allergic to flowers.





	This Lovely Scent

The warm spring breeze filled the avenue with a sweet scent. It was a mixture of freshly baked goods, cherry blossoms, and wet soil. The rain had cleared up during the night, and the morning light now tinted the sky with a new shade of lilac. Several people were indulging outside, strolling or jogging. Two men were walking around the city, to-go coffee cups in their hands. A couple of plainclothes guards shortly followed, carefully inspecting the surroundings through the dark lenses of their sunglasses.

“Ugh, this is terrible”, exclaimed the blond-haired man, taking a sip of his coffee. 

The brunet man at his side threw his head back in laughter.  “Come on, Steve, don’t be such a snob. This is the true taste of America”, he beamed, raising his mug as if he was making a toast. 

Steve shook his head. “I’m fine with America, but this is still disgusting”, he muttered. The other rolled his eyes in amusement. 

After a minute, Steve glanced back at their bodyguards. The men were staring at some point on the other side of the street. Following their gaze, he discovered what had them so worried.

“Shoot! James, looks like we have company”, he informed, motioning at the bunch paparazzi that were scanning the crowd like vultures searching for a carcass to devour. 

An annoyed grunt escaped James’s mouth. “Dammit, they work fast. One can’t even enjoy his coffee”. 

As they let the security detail guide them towards a secondary way, Steve threw away his cup. “ _Enjoy_  wouldn’t be the expression I’d use”. 

“That’s because you’re a fussy jerk,  _little brother_ ”, replied James with a mocking snort. His jeer earned him an elbow from Steve.

Before they knew it, the two bodyguards had pushed them inside a little shop. There was a bell ring as soon as they pushed the door. Once they were inside, one of the agents whispered something to James, who nodded. 

“We’re gonna wait here”, he informed his brother. He sighed, before sarcastically commenting: “Being assaulted by the press isn’t exactly what I wish for my day off”. But Steve wasn’t listening to him. He was looking around the shop, the concern slowly making its way to his face.

Of all the places they could choose as a hideout, did it have to be _a freaking flower shop?_   **“I’d like to speak with whoever thought this was a good idea”** , he muttered, glaring at the men. 

James shrugged. “You worry too much”. 

Steve’s eyebrows snapped together. “ _I worry too much?_ ”, he mimicked, scoffing in a sort of indignant surprise. “We’re stuck in a flower shop, James. Are you aware of how many plants I’m allergic to? And don’t make me start on pollen…”, he groaned.

James gave him a scarcely convincing apologetic smile as if to say ‘sorry bro, but that’s your problem’. He was about to speak again when a friendly voice greeted them. “Oh, good morning! I’ll be with you in a moment”. 

They both turned to see the lovely smile of a girl. She had just emerged from the back of the store, carrying a heavy vase and placing it on the counter. 

James flashed her a flirtatious smile. “Thank you, love”. He had always had a way, with girls. A quality which Steve had often envied.

As she resumed her conversation with another customer, James addressed his brother. “Look, it’s not like we have a choice. Just stay away from the flowers and try to relax. Take advantage of the  _beautiful_ view…”, he suggested, glancing over the counter where the girl stood. 

Steve ignored his allusion, rolling his eyes. “Easy for you to say, you’re not the one who’s gonna be sneezing like crazy in a few minutes”. There were times when he really couldn’t stand his brother’s behavior.

However, as if attracted by an invisible force, his eyes were caught by the delicate frame behind the counter. She was dazzling, no doubt about that. She radiated kindness and peacefulness. Unconsciously, he began studying her every movement. He noticed how she slightly tilted her head to the side as she listened with attention, and how she nibbled on her bottom lip while her expression turned pensive. Thin wrinkles crowned her beautifully shaped eyes, betraying her habit to smile a lot. When she cackled, a clear and delightful melody resounded in the air. It almost made Steve chuckle, he adored the way her whole face lit up, her eyes gleaming with genuine joy.  _Good Lord, she was cute…_

Lost in his thoughts, Steve didn’t even realize that after waving affectionately at the last customer, she was now marching towards them. “May I help you, sirs?”. Her voice shook him from his trance. 

He blinked, ruffled, staring at her as she smiled gently. “Uhm-”, he stumbled upon the words he couldn’t find. Now that she was close, she appeared even prettier. And she seemed to have no idea of who she was talking to, which was honestly all he could’ve hoped.

Meanwhile, James had peered at his younger brother with a grimace, and a cocked eyebrow showed just how entertained he was. He stepped in, stifling a snicker. “Yes, please, my brother  _desperately_  needs your assistance. He can’t be trusted, he has very poor taste in flower arranging”, he revealed, sighing dramatically. She giggled. Steve tried to give James a dirty look, but the other man nudged him and walked away, not before giving him a playful wink. Steve suddenly felt hot under the collar, while a flush crept up his face.

“So, how can I serve you?”, the young woman inquired in curiosity. When he didn’t answer, she offered him the sweetest smile. “What are we looking for? Maybe a bouquet for a special someone?”. 

With a huge effort, he got a hold of himself and cleared his throat. “Erm, yes. I wanted to buy a bouquet for my mum. For her birthday”, he described. It was a lie, all right. But it was the first thing that had come to his mind and he wished she would’ve believed it.

Oblivious of his preoccupation, she brightened. “What a nice thought! Did you have anything specific in mind?”. Her tone was excited. It was clear she loved her job. 

This time, Steve relaxed into a smile. “I have to admit, my brother was telling the truth: I’m terribly lost when it comes to this sort of things. Perhaps you might guide me in the right direction?”. 

She locked her y/e/c eyes in his ocean blue irises. “I’d be happy to. What can you tell me about your mother?”, she asked, and she assumed the same thoughtful expression which he had already fallen in love with. The way her nose twitched was so adorable, he felt the insane urge to kiss it right then.

It took her a second, then she realized she might have been too forward and rushed to add: “If it’s not too rude to ask, obviously!”. Seeing her violently blushing, 

Steve chuckled. “It’s okay, don’t worry. Let’s see”, he pondered the question. The birthday thing was a lie, but he might have as well surprised his mother with some nice flowers. He decided to respond earnestly. “She’s the strongest woman I know. She walks with her head held high, no matter the adversity. And she’s selfless and caring, she puts the people she loves above everything else”. The woman listened quietly, nodding.

After a short pause, he continued. “She used to be an artist, but now she doesn’t paint anymore”. He wasn’t sure of why he was telling her that, it was something rather personal. But she was looking at him with such eagerness, it was hard not to open up. 

As soon as he was done talking, she smiled up at him. “She sounds amazing”. There was a new amazing glint in her eyes. The fun of a challenge.

“You know, now that you know something as personal as what’s my mother like, you could tell me your name”, proposed Steve, nervously biting the inside of his cheek and peering at her with his irresistible puppy eyes. 

She was happy to oblige. “I’m Y/N”. Even her name was lovable. 

“Y/N, huh? It’s perfect”. They stared at each other for a quick moment, intensely, then she snapped out of it. Steve couldn’t get enough of how good she looked when she became all flustered.

She tittered, before starting to ramble rather nervously. “Well, I would recommend lilies and lisianthus, meaning  _majesty_  and  _appreciation_. Classic, but wondrous. Can’t go wrong with those. And I’d like to use a few stems of angelica, too”, she added pensively, mostly talking to herself. 

The corners of Steve’s mouth quirked up, as he interrupted her stream of thought. “I’m in your hands, Y/N. I trust you completely”, he assured. She beamed, although the subtle blush on her cheeks showed a mild embarrassment at his statement.

He followed her up to the counter, where she began to compose the bouquet. Much to his misfortune, Steve became aware that it was now impossible for him to stay away from the flowers. He was surrounded by severed blossoms and pollen had left a coating of yellow dust all over the marble surface. It was the nightmare of any person with allergies. Steve sighed. He knew he was in for a tough night, full of sneezes, puffy eyes, closed throat, and antihistamine meds. But if anything was worth the torture, it was that girl. He observed her with heart eyes, bewitched by the swift movements of her hands as she skillfully arranged the blooms.

“Did you know”, she started all of a sudden, “-that it is believed that angelica wildflowers can bring back inspiration?”. She had voiced the information distractedly, and the bewilderment in her gaze suggested that she feared to have said something stupid. 

However, when she found Steve’s eyes, they were widened in curiosity. He was considering the matter seriously. “I did  _not_. Do you think that maybe it could inspire my mother? I’d love to see her painting again, it made her so happy”.

The sincerity in his voice made her grin broadly. “I really hope so, sir”. 

With a smirk, he shook his head. “Call me Steve”. 

For a moment, she looked surprised. “Steve”. His name rolled on her tongue splendidly, falling from her lips in a feather-like murmur. She handed him the flowers, now perfectly arranged. “Here you go. And- are you okay?”, she asked with concern, finally noticing that his eyes were all red and swollen. 

He internally cursed his stupid allergic ass, while frantically grabbing his wallet. “I’m fine, thank you, Miss y/n. Keep the change” He left a banknote in her hand without waiting to hear the price and he hurried outside, careful not to keep the flowers too close to his face. After glancing at her confused expression, James and the bodyguards followed him.

The noise of the door closing behind them caused her to flinch. “Uhm, wait, you-”, she tried to shout, but they were already gone. She frowned, looking down at the bill in her hand. He had paid her a hundred dollars for a $30 dollars worth of flowers. She shook her head disbelievingly, putting the money into the register.

That evening, as she cleaned up the shop before closing, Y/N’s eyes fell on a black and white photo. She squinted, a flash of recognition hitting her whilst she gaped at the familiar face smiling smugly from the picture. It was the front page of a newspaper from the day before, one she used for wrapping the flowers.  _Could that be…?_  When she read the headline, her jaw dropped.

## “SWEDISH ROYAL FAMILY VISITING THE CITY: FUTURE KING JAMES INAUGURATES THE NEW FREE CHILD CLINIC”

[Originally posted by marveltho](https://tmblr.co/ZUEoHs22OUDll)

********************************************************************

“Steve, honey, is everything all right?”. Sarah, his mother, was staring at him with concern from the other end of the dining table. They were having dinner in their private room, instead of the restaurant. Mostly due to Steve’s pitiful state and his endless sniffs. He had immersed himself in his thoughts and didn’t hear her calling out to him.

James guffawed, holding his chest. He addressed his mother with the smirk of one who knew. “Don’t worry, mama. He’s just _in love_ ”, he chimed, his eyes filled with childish joy. “Oh, and he’s having a bad allergic reaction to pollen”, he shrugged. 

Sarah’s forehead furrowed. “What? Is that why you kept sneezing on your filet mignon?”.

Steve, who in the meantime had realized to be part of the conversation, cut her off with a wave of his hand. “It’s nothing, mom, ignore him. James, would you shut your mouth?”, he hissed through gritted teeth. 

His brother smirked deviously. “Aw,  _such_ hostility. And here I thought love would’ve made you less of a punk”. 

Seizing a piece of bread, Steve threw it against James’s head, then threatened: “I swear to God, I won’t regret punching you”.

With a brow raised in annoyance, their mother interrupted their bickering. “Quiet, boys. Now, Steve, who’s the lucky one?”, she inquired, leaning on the table.

“Mom, you too?!”. 

She chortled at his exasperation. “Sweetie, I’m just curious! Also, I’d like to know why do you look like you’ve been smoking weed”. She motioned at his red eyes. 

Rolling his eyes, he sighed. “Today we had to avoid some paparazzi and we hid in a local florist”.

Understanding dawned on her face, as her mouth formed a small ‘o’. “Ohhhh, that’s where you bought that splendid bouquet! I love it, by the way, it’s perfect”, she thanked once again. “But what does this have to do with love?”. 

Steve searched for the eyes of one of the bodyguards standing by the door. “Someone, please, murder me”. 

With a chuckle, the man replied: “I’m afraid that’s not part of our duties, your highness”. 

James, who seemed to particularly enjoy the situation, intervened. “Relax, Stevie, I’ll take it from here. See mom, the flower shop in question is run by this  _gorgeous_ young lady who appears to have captured Steve’s heart. Of course, he didn’t ask her out ‘cause he was too invested in running away before dying from hay fever”. 

Turning crimson red, Steve fumed. “ _Fuck you_ , Jam-”. 

“Language, young man”, scolded his mother. 

He gave her an ashamed glance. “Sorry, ma’am”, he muttered.

The woman studied her son’s expression for a moment. “So, what are you going to do?”. 

He stared back at her, disoriented. “What do you mean?”. 

She scoffed in amusement. “Well, you’re daydreaming about that girl, I’m guessing she’s special. Are you going to ask her out?”. 

James chimed in. “Yeah, dork, are you gonna be a chicken or not?”, he mocked, but his mother slapped his arm. 

“James, leave your brother alone”. She addressed her youngest with a tender smile. “Steve, you’re an exceptional boy. A myriad of girls would kill to be with you, yet I’ve never seen you this smitten with anyone. Think about it”, she suggested, dropping the topic.

She grabbed a piece of paper from the small table under the window. “On another note, what do you think of this? I’ve sketched it while you were fantasizing about your belle, Steve”. 

He groaned, stretching to reach whatever she was handing him. “Please don’t call her that. Wait, you drew this?”, he asked in incredulity, while James peered at the content. It was a sketch of him with his chin resting in his palm. It was a simple pencil drawing, nothing elaborated, but she had captured his dreamy gaze perfectly with just a few lines. 

She nodded with a shrug. “Yes, well, you had such a beautiful expression. It inspired me”. 

“It’s amazing, mama”, complimented James giving a peck on her head. 

_Inspired,_  she had said.

All Steve could think about as he watched the sheet of paper in his hand, was Y/N and her flowers. He absolutely had to see that girl again.

********************************************************************

The morning after, Steve had an early start. He gulped down his breakfast and headed out, this time alone - which had caused the security to protest, but he didn’t care.

When he arrived at the shop, it had just opened. The small room was still empty, but the delicious perfume of fresh flowers had already invaded the space. 

As soon as the front bell rang, he heard Y/N’s disembodied voice saying “Hello, I’ll be right with you”. She entered the room with a wide smile. She was wearing a nice ivory dress, with little honeybees printed on it. Steve chuckled quietly. “How can I-”, she started, but she stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted him. “ _Oh, it’s you!_ ”, she blurted in surprise. 

“It is me”, he snickered.

Her cheeks reddened all of a sudden. “I mean- You… you are-”, she stuttered, stumbling over her words. From her panic, he realized she must have found out who he was. He took a deep breath. After all, this would’ve happened anyway. 

He took a few steps towards her, plastering a smile on his face. “I take it you know who I am, by now”. 

She nodded, hesitantly. “Your brother was everywhere on the news. I don’t know how I could miss that”.

She looked as if she wanted to apologize for not having recognized him, so he raised his hands and shook his head vigorously. “No, I’m glad you missed it. I got to chat with you just as Steve”, he reassured her. 

At that point, she finally smiled at him. “I’m guessing it doesn’t happen very often”. 

He snorted. “Almost  _never_ , to be honest”. He chewed his lower lip, then gathered the courage to add: “I liked talking with you.  _A lot_ ”. Her smile became possibly warmer, which gave him a little boost of confidence.

“I came here to thank you. My mother loved the flowers, and… she drew. I don’t know how was that possible, it sounds like witchcraft, but she actually drew something for the first time in years”, he beamed. 

Y/N smirked. “Well, there’s always a bit of magic in nature. Although I have to say, I thought the birthday thing was a lie”. 

He joined her laughter. “I’ll admit, it was. I’m sorry. But everything else was true”.

She cocked an eyebrow at him, trying to give him a sarcastic look. But the effect was ruined by her gentle smile. “And what about your allergies?”. 

He frowned, embarrassed. “Wait, how did the journalist found out about that?”. 

The question made her crack up. “Actually I realized that by myself. You seemed on the verge of death when I handed you the bouquet”. He felt sorry she had to see him in that state, but he was happy she didn’t seem to mind.

Tilting her head, she puzzled: “I have to ask.  _Why_  would you hide in a flower shop, if you’re allergic?”. 

“That’s what I said yesterday”, he muttered with a pout, making her giggle. 

“I’m sorry you had to suffer. You could’ve told me, I wouldn’t have-”, her sentence trailed off. 

He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, I’m fine now. I’m basically drugged, given how many different pills I took”. They both burst out laughing.

When their laughter faded, she stared at him. “I’m glad I could be of help… Your Highness”. 

He scratched the back of his neck, grinning coyly. “Please, just Steve. I love the way you say my name”. He had spoken without thinking, but when the words left his lips he couldn’t find anything to regret. It was the truth.

Y/N flushed, but she grinned happily. Steve cleared his throat. “You, uh… Would you go on a date with me? Right now?”, he questioned, biting his lip. His eyes were widened as he waited for her answer. 

Her huge smile was all he needed, but he beamed when she agreed. “I’d _love_  to, Steve”, she gushed. “Let me just grab my things and close the store, let’s go someplace where you’re not at risk of an anaphylactic shock”. He snickered at her cheerful mocking.

As soon as they left the little flower shop hand in hand, fingers intertwined and shoulders brushing together as they walked, Steve knew he was down for.

********************************************************************

##  [ _[THREE YEARS LATER]_ ](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DkNrJhb1iv8U&t=YzNmYzYwZTUxMzZkOTUxNTUzYWRhNzFiZmI3ZDkzMTY5NmRkY2MyMyw4MGEwYzQ3ODEwZjVhZTZkY2Y2ZjU2ZDMwM2VmZWZkMWZiOWUxMjA5)

[Originally posted by erasaerhead](https://tmblr.co/ZivJNy2K6UG5r)

The place was adorned with many different flowers, each with a different meaning, and their pleasant scent tickled the senses.

This had been an inside joke between the two of them, during the years… Steve often left a single stem on Y/N’s nightstand, or sometimes on the kitchen counter, so that she could find it when she got up to make breakfast. He went and bought the flowers himself, despite his allergies. Every blossom, a message.

Agapanthus,  _love letter_. Pansy,  _think of me_ , for when he had to leave for some royal obligation but would have much more preferred to stay home with her. She could expect to find loads of purple hyacinths scattered on the floor every time he made her angry, it was his way to say “ _please forgive me_ ”. And when she heard him sneezing helplessly, she chuckled and kissed the tip of his nose, so that he knew she had forgiven him. Daffodils and tulips,  _new beginnings_ and _declaration of love_ , which he had bought for her only once, when he had asked her to marry him seven months before.

Now the flowers were all around them, while she was standing in front of him in her wedding dress, and she was breathtaking.

At their side stood James, grinning from ear to ear. Steve flashed a luminous smile at her, as his fruity voice started to resonate through the church. “I take you, Y/N Y/L/N, to be my wife, and these things I promise you: I will listen to you talking about those soppy movies I hate  _so much_ , because I live for the way your eyes light up when you talk about the things you love; I will learn how to dance properly, you won’t have to worry about me stepping on your toes anymore; I will keep acting like a dork, as long as it will make you laugh, because your happiness is my favorite sound; I will share my life with you, and also the dessert you insist not to order when we go out for dinner… that’s _mostly_ because you’re scary when you haven’t received your daily dose of sugars”. There were several giggles among the small crowd of guests. But he had eyes only for her.

His face became more serious, as he concluded his speech, and Y/N felt joyful tears running down her cheeks. “I vow to  _never stop giving you flowers_ , I don’t care if I have to bankrupt the entire antihistamine medications industry while doing that. I love you so much”, he blurted with a soft laugh, and his eyes glistened. “I couldn’t imagine being without you, because our souls are one and my destiny is yours; through the best and worst of what is to come, and as long as we live”.

The air filled with applause and cheers, but neither of them heard anything. Everything was cut to white noise, as Steve embraced her firmly, yet tenderly. Y/N slowly brought her hands up to cup his face and he pulled her closer. They paused when their mouths were barely touching and breathed each other’s air for a moment. Then, as soon as they brushed their lips together, they melted into the kiss in the general euphoria. It wasn’t a deep kiss, nor a particularly passionate one, but they were unable to open their eyes for a few seconds afterword, their mouths agape. That day, she gave him the brightest smile of all.

So they had their new beginning. Steve kept fulfilling each and every one of his vows, although James insisted that he still had to work a lot more on his dance moves.

And the spring after, it was Y/N’s turn to give her husband a flower. He blinked a couple times, studying the celandine in his palm. At first, he had thought she was angry at him for something and was trying to get back at him… But then it hit him.

“ _Are you…?_ ”, he tried to ask, but the words didn’t come out. 

She giggled. “Yes”. 

In a heartbeat he was spinning her around the room, laughing like a child. He caught her in his arms, placing a hand on her belly. Never ceasing to smile, they pressed their foreheads together and kissed. It was one of those routine kisses, the ones you don’t even bother to deepen since you know you have a whole lifetime. They slowly let their fingers twine together, but one of Steve’s hands never left her womb. 

Celandine.  _Joys to come_.


End file.
